


Although I've Traveled Far

by hazelandglasz



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Romantic Fluff, Soulmates, in every lifetime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21647323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazelandglasz/pseuds/hazelandglasz
Summary: Prompt:"I meet and fall in love with you in every lifetime at the same age but your age is always different so it never works out and for the first time I’m meeting you when we’re the same age and I’m horrified that I might fuck this up." Sterek with Derek as the one who's always the same age *w*
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 7
Kudos: 261





	Although I've Traveled Far

Derek is 20 when he meets Stiles for the first time.

Derek is always 20 whenever he meets Stiles after that moment, until now.

But let’s catch them at the start, shall we?

Earth 745, Year 1650

Derek rides into the forest, his battle wolf happily howling at being allowed to run so freely.

“Steady, steady.”

The forest is always Derek’s favorite place to run and hunt. The spirits welcome him as one of their own and light up his way, but other creatures are not as welcoming.

If Derek came today, it’s because his Queen heard about a rumor.

A worrying one.

That Sparks have settled on the edge of their forest, using the spirits and the kingdom’s resources.

Triskel comes to an halt, muzzle raised in the air to sniff it.

“Aroo?”

Derek pats her neck to calm her, closing his eyes to visualize what she sensed.

_ Sparks are definitely moving around this area. _

_ No aggression in their feelings. _

_ Just … settlement. _

_ There is a particularly strong Spark that seems to lead them. _

_ There! _

Derek opens his eyes, glowing just as red as Triskel’s, and they both turn them toward the entrance of the meadow.

Where a Spark stands, arms crossed over his chest.

In Wolf years, he looks to be just a bit younger than Derek, but Derek has been raised, taught, better than that.

Sparks may be a unique brand of Spirits, but they still belong in their family of beings.

A Wolf lifetime barely counts as a Revolution for a Spark. 

This one may look young, but his age must already be in the three numbers range.

The power exuding from his fingertips is proof enough.

“You’re on private property,” Derek calls, keeping his hands on Triskel’s neck.

The Spark sends a half-crooked smile his way. “This land was Spark land long before you lot bonded with the first pup.”

Triskel hums under Derek’s touch, leaning her massive head toward the spark.

“But I’m not here to escalate an argument with you, your highness,” the Spark says more gently and more seriously. 

“Why are you here, then?”

“To offer an alliance between our packs.”

Derek blinks at the offer. Legends about Sparks do not depict them as a fraternizing lot, even less helpful than Foxes and Hunters. “An alliance?”

“Quid pro Quo, my prince,” the Spark says, stepping closer. The grass curbs in front of his naked feet, and though there is no wind, his brown hair moves gently in an invisible breeze. “You let us stay where we settled, we protect the Eastern border of the Kingdom, everybody wins.”

“How do we know you won’t betray us at the first chance?”

“Please,” the Spark says, blowing air at Derek. “We may be powerful, but you Wolves have the strength to disseminate us. I quite like living, thank you very much, especially with all my limbs still attached to my body.”

Derek unconsciously drags his eyes down the Spark’s slender frame and can’t help but nod.

It would be a shame to hurt this particular body.

“I’m but the prince,” he finally answers, refusing to acknowledge either the heat he can feel on his cheeks or the smirk on the Spark’s face. “I cannot sign a treaty of this magnitude.”

“And I am not my pack’s leader,” the Spark replies. “Let’s consider each other as intermediaries for our people.”

“I will still need some proof of your trustworthiness.”

“How about a blood pact?”

“That would work.”

“Here,” the Spark says, bringing his wrist to his lips and biting, tearing the glowing skin and letting a droplet of bluish blood run down his forearm. Derek dismounts from Triskel, mirroring the Spark’s gesture, before bringing his wrist to the Spark’s.

Their bloods mix, and for a second, their attached wrists glow golden.

Triskel whines, breaking the enchantment that took over Derek for a moment.

“Bonded,” the Spark says with a beaming smile. “I can’t hurt you and you can’t hurt me.”

“I suppose I could give you my name now.”

“That’s called manners, your highness.”

“Call me Derek.”

“Call me--” the Spark starts, but the sound that follows does not belong in a Wolf’s throat.

Derek’s confusion must be obvious, as the Spark lets out a burst of laughter.

“Call me Stiles, then.”

“What’s a Stiles?”

“A me,” Stiles replies, licking his wrist clean. “Only one of me.”

Somehow, Derek does not doubt him for a second.

\--

When Death comes for Derek, once his hair and beard have turn white, once his face is covered in more lines than a tree, when his eyes close on a smile, Stiles is still by his side, leaning forward to whisper in his ear.

“See you in the next life, big guy.”

xxxxxx

Earth 504, Year 52

Somehow, when Derek turns three, he knows.

He knows that he was a prince, he knows that he’s on a new cycle, and he knows …

He knows that he has to find Stiles for this life to be worth living.

That is a pretty hard concept to formally have in a three-year-old mind, but the idea is there to stay.

Though what Stiles will look like and how they will meet is a mystery.

When Derek turns twenty, he meets Stiles.

More precisely, he meets flight instructor Stilinski.

Though Stiles is a dragon rider in this life, wrinkles around his eyes and mouth signaling his propensity to smile and laugh, Derek has no doubt that this Stiles is his Stiles.

“The young Alpha worships you, Stiles,” he overhears a conversation between Stiles and Master Martin.

Stiles laughs. “He’s a good kid. Will be one hell of a rider some day.”

“I think he has a crush on you.”

“Can you blame him?” Stiles gestures at himself and through his embarrassment, Derek feels a surge of fondness for Stiles, from their past camaraderie.

“I’m serious, Stiles.” Master Martin swats at Stiles’ shoulder. “You need to be careful with him. Don’t go and break his heart.”

Stiles opens his mouth, eyes glaring in offense before he lets it all out in a sigh. “All I want is for Derek to be happy.”

“I know that. Be his tutor, be his friend.”

“I will.”

\--

When Spark falls under a vicious attack, his rider as good as dead on his back, Derek can only let Triskel follow them into the Darkness.

“See you in the next life, Stiles.”

xxxxxx

Life after life after life, Derek gets reunited with Stiles.

Whenever they meet, their bond is reignited and they remain by each other’s side until one of them moves onto the next life.

Life after life, Derek remembers all of their common pasts, too.

And as much as Stiles can be annoying, frustrating, too bright for his own good, Derek finds himself drawn to him, life after life after life.

In this life, though, Derek has almost met Stiles when he was just a bit younger.

In this life, he’s fifteen when he feels Stiles in his proximity, but at the time, his family just got decimated and he can’t find it in his heart to make the move toward that connection.

But the presence he feels is young, just a bit younger than him but not by a wide margin.

For the first time ever, it’s even a relatively small gap that separates them, age-wise.

Not that he dwells on it at the time, consumed by grief, rage and shame as he is.

But they do meet when Derek is twenty.

“You’re on private property.”

He may be scowling, but in his mind, Derek allows himself to be sentimental.

Maybe it is Fate that brought us together, making him repeat his words from their first encounter on the life where they have a real chance of bringing this relationship to another level.

A thought which is immediately followed by, “I’m going to fuck this up”.

\---

The pull toward Stiles is just as irresistible as it always is, but Derek resists.

He knows he will, can, fuck this up, damage Stiles and perhaps break the bonds that has lasted through centuries.

With the many life of retrospects he has on their lives together, Derek is convinced that the first Stiles, the Spark, the magical being, created that bond to make sure they would meet again.

To get a chance to be together, as lovers.

But if there is one thing this life has taught Derek, it’s his propensity to fuck things up beyond repair.

Especially relationships.

Especially the people he loves.

The last thing he wants is to hurt Stiles.

The next to last thing he wants is to lose Stiles.

His life is a fucking conundrum and he hates it.

\---

And then, Stiles saves his life.

Derek has to admit, he didn’t see it coming.

As they manage to stay afloat in the pool while the kanima prowls its edges, Derek allows himself a moment to consider that really, this is a repetition of their first shared lifetime.

After all, despite his frail appearance, Stiles the Spark did save Derek the Wolf prince many, many times.

This time around, Stiles’ fragility is a calculated ploy to deceit people into underestimating him.

Derek admires this wit more than he would like to admit.

Falling in love with Stiles is just as easy as breathing, but Derek remains terrified.

Not of hurting Stiles, because fight after fight, Stiles proves how strong and resilient he really is, but of, again, fucking everything up.

\---

Until the Berserkers.

Until his full shift.

Because managing to push his shift to this extreme, reconnecting with his mom, with his powers, with himself, brings Derek to one conclusion.

He may have found his balance, but in order to be complete, he needs Stiles by his side.

In a more permanent way than simply being “here”.

Once the decision has settled in his mind, there is no more room in Derek for fear, uncertainty and doubt.

Only focus on making it become a reality.

Because now, Derek knows how to avoid a fuck-up.

AKA, How to Woo a Stiles 101.

Going all out and romantic would just freak him out, that much Derek is sure of, no matter how much Stiles may be, is, attracted to him.

But by going in small, subtle touches--getting the pizza he likes, wear comfortable and unthreatening (yet flattering) cloth, creating a safe environment--Derek slowly manages to get closer to Stiles.

Even that would be enough, if he’s honest to himself: having Stiles close, close enough to touch, to smell, to protect.

That’s where he is in his thoughts one evening, when Stiles is the only one left in the Pack’s loft, the pizza has been reduced to its crust and neither one of them knows what is playing on the TV anymore.

Stiles laughs at something silly Derek just said, and with a contented sigh, drops his head to Derek’s shoulder.

And Derek freezes.

And Stiles looks up, long eyelashes slowly revealing his beautiful brown eyes..

Derek stays still.

And Stiles considers him, a small wrinkle apparating between his eyebrows before it clears out.

Derek stays still, still.

Stiles slowly leans upward, his breath tickling Derek’s neck until his lips meet Derek’s cheek.

It all happens in slow motion, and Derek stays still.

Stiles straightens up, still focused on Derek, before cupping Derek’s face in his hands.

A golden light appears in his eyes, taking over the ring surrounding his pupils. 

Derek gasps, just as Stiles leans forward.

Their lips could be touching, barely kept apart, as Stiles smiles.

“Hello again, big guy.”

Before pulling Derek in for a long, long-awaited kiss.

\------

_ Same Earth, same year, some months later _

“You knew?”

“I don’t know. Not knew, knew.”

“Nyunyu?”

Stiles rubs his nose against Derek’s stomach before blowing a raspberry there. “All those lives, I never knew for sure. I had a, a …”

“A feeling?”

“An instinct, yeah.”

Derek sighs, his fingers tangled in Stiles’ hair. “I’m glad we found each other in this life.”

“I hope we’ll find each other in the next.”

“Me too.”

“Though the later the better.”

“My thoughts exactly.”


End file.
